Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1887-09-22
THE KARA-kiRGHEsE.
Customs OF and Life Among the Semi-Bar
barian Siberian Nomads.

Customs OF and Life Among the Semi-Bar-
barian Siberian Nomads.
The Kara Kirghese are essentially a
nation of shepherds and breeders OF
cattle, and think it a ''come-down" in
life when compelled to resort 10 settled
occupations. They are not SO rich as
their brethren in the plains. Very
few own as many as two thousand
horses or three thousand sheep. Also
they have fewer camels; but. on the
other hand, possess an excellent breed
of oxen for traversing the mountains
Their cows are large, but do not yield
much milk. Yaks are kept by them
instead. Their cattle breeding claims
far less labor than agriculture, but is
exposed to great risks. For the sup
port of Nomad family for a year are
required eleven head of large and ten
of small cattle. and to provide hay for
the winter consumption even of this
number exceeds the working power of
one household.
was much interested to see some of
the Kirghese on the march. Their
wanderings are thus conducted: When
the pasture in a neighborhood is eaten,
one or two of the young men are sent
to select suitable spot for another en-
campment, and to clean out the wells.
This done, the women pack the tents
and the men form the cattle in droves.
The camp is ready and starts before
dawn, the good women of the family
riding in front. met one old lady in
this honorable position, mounted
astride bullock and looking any
thing but graceful. After her came
the other women, variously mounted
on the top of carpets, teake tiles, tents,
ETC.. the whole being made to wear. as
far as possible, festive aspect The
length of a stage is from thirteen to
seventeen miles, and the aul traverses
about twenty-five miles in twenty-four
hours.
On arriving at the place of encamp-
ment it is the Office of the wife to put
up the tent CHANGED to see a woman
begin to do 50, and would not stir
from the spot till had witnessed the
whole operation. The principal parts
of kibitka, or tent, are large pieces of
felt to cover frame work that con-
sists of Intel and side-posts for a
door, and pieces of trellis-work sur
mounted by poles that meet in the
center. On this trellis- work are sus-
pended arms, clothes, bags, basins,
harness and cooking utensils. Not
that there is large variety, however,
of the last, for most of the cooking is
done in large open saucepan that
stands on tripod over fire in the
middle of the tent. Crockery ware is
not abundant, being of hazardous car
riage, and metal goods are not cheap
so that leather has to do duty not only
for making bottles Especially those for
carrying kounsiss) but also pals.
some of which are fur
nished with a spout. / met with no
small saucepans or teakettles of En-
glish shape, their place being supplied
by kurgGns, or water-ewers, somewhat
resembling coffee-pot. Round the
walls of the tent are piled boxes. sad
dies, rugs. and bales of carpet, against
which the occupants lean. the head OF
the household sitting opposite the
door, and in front of him the wife in
attendance.
Twas honored with an invitation to
dine in one of these tents. the dishes
being put before us according to ouI
rank. heard nothing of grace before
meat, but never saw any thing to ex-
coed the alacrity with which the dishes
were cleared. Hands were knives and
fingers were forks, the meat being torn
from the bones as by the teeth OF
hungry dogs. 1t is considered polite
for Kirghese superior to take hand
full of pieces of meat and stuff them
into the mouth of an inferior guest, an
elegancy I saw practised on another,
but from which. mercifully, I myself
was excused. DR.. Henry LansdeH, in
Harper's Magazine.